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Threshold - Hypothetical CD (album) cover

HYPOTHETICAL

Threshold

 

Progressive Metal

4.02 | 309 ratings

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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
3 stars Heavy on the hairspray

Three years after releasing their acclaimed "Clone" album, Threshold returned to the studio in 2001 with the same line up apart from Johanne James taking over on drums. In the interim period, they had released a fan club only collection ("Decadent") and signed up with Inside Out Records. Opinions may be divided about whether the change of label was a step forward in prog terms, but there is no doubt it was significant, as it introduced the band to a wider audience, which in turn led to greater commercial success.

The opening "Light and space" certainly has a hairspray rock feel to it, the driving guitars and melodic harmonies being reminiscent of bands such as Journey and Boston. On the plus side, Karl Groom and Nick Midson's lead guitar contributions remain dynamic and captivating. "Turn On Tune In" takes its repetitive one line chorus to a rather irritating level, but as a whole the song is well constructed and executed.

"The ravages of time" is the first of two long (10+ minutes) tracks on the album. While it sets out as another orthodox rock/metal number, the song soon reveals more progressive leanings through a more complex arrangement and dramatic keyboards. The melodic rock nuances remain, with the band Magnum coming to mind, but the track does require several listens to discover its true appeal. "Sheltering Sky" takes us into full AOR ballad territory, moving from an acoustic opening to the big sound chorus. The song's placing back to back with the following "Oceanbound" creates a building 12 minute mini-suite although things are kept straightforward throughout.

"Long way home" completes the journey back to solid metal riffs and anthemic choruses. "Keep my head" is a sort of ""Sheltering sky" part 2, but even lighter and softer. We close with the album's longest track, "Narcissus". While hardly venturing towards unexplored territories, the song does bring together many of the tenets of melodic hard rock. It makes for a fine closer to a decent if generally unremarkable album.

Easy Livin | 3/5 |

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